#01Ferrocerium rod that produces sparks over 3,000°C when struck. Works wet, lasts thousands of strikes.
#02A screw-fit gas canister is the fuel a portable stove actually needs — carry spares and hot food or a hot drink is always within reach, whatever the weather.
#03Compact camping stove for boiling water and cooking food. Essential for hot meals and water purification.
#04Solid fuel tablets light easily, burn hot and store for years — a compact, foolproof way to boil water or cook when there's no gas and the weather's against you.
#05Matches that light reliably even in wet and windy conditions. Essential fire-starting backup for any survival kit.
A low-cost tabletop butane stove with automatic ignition and a carry case. A practical outdoor backup hob for camping or a power outage when you have a safe, ventilated place to cook away from the home.
A single-burner butane stove that runs on Campingaz CP250 cartridges, giving you a stable 2,200W ring for boiling water or cooking a hot meal when the power is off. It sits flat on a sturdy outdoor surface and packs into its own carry case, which makes it a practical backup for camping and longer winter outages.
A twin-burner gas stove that lets you cook a proper meal off-grid or during a power cut, running from standard Campingaz gas. The two 2000W burners take normal pans thanks to removable supports, and the frame folds flat for storage. It needs its own gas supply and good ventilation, so it is for the garden or a well-aired space, never indoor use.
A resealable butane/propane valve cartridge that fits Campingaz Bistro and Festivo stoves and lamps. The valve design means you can safely disconnect it part-used and store it, which suits an emergency stove kept for winter power cuts. Check your stove takes the CP250 valve fitting rather than a screw-thread or pierceable cartridge before buying.
Eight Campingaz CP250 valve cartridges — the resealable, puncture-proof type used by Campingaz Bleuet stoves and lanterns. Worth stockpiling so an off-grid stove or lantern keeps running through a long power cut or a run of camping trips. Only fits appliances built for the CP250 valve fitting, not screw-thread EN417 burners.
A screw-fit butane/propane gas cartridge from a long-established outdoor cooking brand — compatible with most screw-fit camping stoves and reliable in cooler weather.
Refined liquid fuel (white gas) for Coleman dual-fuel and liquid-fuel stoves and lanterns. It keeps burning in the cold when gas canisters lose pressure, which makes it a sensible backup for off-grid cooking through winter. One litre keeps a liquid-fuel stove running across plenty of meals.
Standard butane gas canisters that fit the common bayonet-fit portable camping stoves, blowtorches and burners used for off-grid cooking. Worth keeping a few spares in the cupboard so a power cut or gas outage doesn't leave you unable to boil water or heat food. Check they match your stove's fitting before buying, as these use the push-in cartridge type rather than a screw thread.
Wax-coated wood wool firelighters that catch from a single match or spark and burn long enough to get damp kindling or a stove going. They're a cleaner, more reliable alternative to paraffin blocks and don't taint food the way some fuels can, which makes them handy for an emergency cook set as well as the wood burner. Keep a few sealed in your fire kit as wet-weather backup for a fire steel or matches.
An oversized ferrocerium rod that throws a shower of hot sparks to light tinder, a stove or a storm kettle when matches are damp or gone. The extra-large 152mm rod is easier to grip in cold hands and lasts for thousands of strikes, and unlike a lighter it still works soaking wet. It takes a little practice to get consistent sparks, so try it before you rely on it.
Solid fuel blocks that light easily and burn cleanly, handy both for starting a wood burner and as emergency cooking fuel with a folding stove. FireDragon is widely used by UK cadets and campers because the tablets light even when damp and store indefinitely.
A compact pot-and-pan set with a heat-exchanger base that grips more of the flame's heat, so water boils faster and burns less gas. It nests down small and is a sensible upgrade over a bare mess tin if off-grid cooking is part of your plan. Good for a camping trip or for feeding the household on a stove during a longer outage.
Fifty natural wood-wool-and-wax firelighters that light with a single match and burn long enough to get a wood burner, stove or fire pit going, even in damp weather. They have no chemical smell, store for years and make a reliable backup for heating and cooking when the power is out. A pack lasts a long time.
A ferro rod fire starter with a metal striker, lanyard and built-in emergency whistle. An all-in-one fire-and-signal tool for a grab bag.
Individually wrapped solid fuel tablets that light easily, burn hot enough to boil water and store for years — compact backup fuel for camping stoves and emergency cooking.
EN417 screw-fit butane canisters for portable camping and emergency stoves. Keeping a few spares in the cupboard means you can still boil water and cook if the power or gas supply drops. Check the thread matches your stove before you buy — EN417 is the common screw-on standard.
A lightweight gas burner with piezo ignition for boiling water and cooking off-grid. A practical way to make hot food and drink when the power or gas is out.
An integrated stove-and-cup system that boils water remarkably fast with push-button ignition. The premium pick when speed and efficiency matter.
A 100g screw-on gas canister blended for better cold-weather performance than basic butane. It's the fuel to keep in reserve for a Jetboil or any standard threaded canister stove so you're not caught out mid-brew. Small enough to tuck a spare into a grab bag.
An all-in-one stove and insulated cup that boils water fast and, unlike most canister stoves, simmers well enough to actually cook rather than just boil. The burner, pot and gas nest together so it lives happily in a grab bag or car kit. Jetboil is a well-established name and the push-button igniter means no fumbling for matches in the cold.
A stainless steel storm kettle that boils water fast using nothing but twigs, bark or dry grass — no gas canisters to run out of. The double-walled chimney design means it works in wind and rain where a small camping stove would struggle, which is exactly when you most want a hot drink or safe water. It's bulky for a rucksack but ideal for the car, caravan or a home power-cut kit, and the Scout bundle adds a cook set and cups.
An eight-piece mess tin set with nesting pots, cutlery and a compact stove, giving you a self-contained way to boil water and cook a hot meal off-grid. Everything packs down into the tins with a storage bag, so it stows neatly in a grab bag or car boot. A practical off-grid cook kit for a power cut, a campsite or a day out.
A ferrocerium fire steel that throws a shower of hot sparks in any weather, even when wet. Works long after matches and lighters have failed, making it a reliable backup fire source.
Butane cartridges for portable camping stoves, heaters and blow torches — the fuel that keeps an off-grid stove running when the hob won't. Worth keeping a few spares in the cupboard so a power cut doesn't also mean cold meals. Check they match your stove's fitting before buying, and remember butane struggles in near-freezing temperatures, so keep canisters warm in winter.
A tiny, near-indestructible screw-on canister stove that boils a litre of water in around three and a half minutes and folds down smaller than a matchbox. A long-standing favourite for its reliability — few moving parts and nothing to go wrong when you need a hot drink or meal off-grid. Use outdoors only.
A lightweight nesting cook set — pot, frying pan and accessories — aimed at two to three people cooking off-grid on a camping stove. Handy for a power-cut kitchen or a grab-bag where you want to boil water and heat a meal without the household hob. The non-stick coating keeps clean-up easy but wants gentle handling to last.
A nesting non-stick cook set with pots, a kettle, bowls and a spoon that packs down small enough for a grab bag or car boot. A tidy way to boil water and cook a hot meal off-grid when the kitchen is out of action. Lightweight aluminium keeps the weight down for carrying, at the cost of some hard-use durability.
A stainless-steel rocket stove that burns twigs, bark and other found wood, so you can boil water and cook without carrying gas or fuel. A useful off-grid backup for when the cartridges run out or you'd rather not store pressurised gas. It also takes a spirit burner if you want a quieter, smokeless option.
A standard EN417 threaded gas canister filled with an isobutane mix that screws straight onto compact backpacking stoves such as the MSR PocketRocket or Jetboil. The isobutane blend performs better in the cold than plain butane, which matters for autumn and winter cooking. Primus is a long-established Swedish stove-and-fuel specialist.
The classic Trangia storm cooker: two pans, a frying pan, a kettle and a meths burner that all pack into one windproof unit. It runs on cheap, widely available spirit fuel with no pressurised canister to fail, which makes it a dependable off-grid cooking choice. Bombproof and near-silent, it's a genuine buy-once bit of kit.
The full-size Trangia 25 system: two pans, a kettle, a frypan and a windproof stand that packs into itself, here supplied with a gas burner. It's a proven off-grid cook kit for two people when the power or gas at home is out, or for hiking and camping.
The classic Swedish storm-proof cooker: a spirit burner that nests inside two pans and a kettle, with a windshield that doubles as the pot stand. It is the kit to reach for when the power is out and you need to boil water or cook a hot meal outdoors in wind that would defeat a gas stove. Fuel is cheap methylated spirit you can store safely for years.
The Trangia 27-1 is the compact version of the classic Swedish storm cooker: two pots, a frying pan, a windshield and a meths burner that all nest into one bundle. The spirit burner has no jets or pipes to block and keeps cooking in wind that would blow out a gas stove — exactly what you want in a storm or a power cut. Heavier and slower than a gas canister stove, but close to unbreakable and happy on fuel you can store for years.
A minimalist folding stand from Trangia that turns a solid-fuel or spirit burner into a stable cooking platform, packing down almost flat. It weighs next to nothing and has no moving parts to break, which makes it a reliable backup for a grab bag or emergency kit. Bring your own burner and fuel — this is the frame, not the flame.
Windproof, waterproof matches that keep burning in rain and wind — and even relight after being dipped in water. A dependable fire-starting backup for wet British weather.
Start with the cheapest, longest-shelf-life option. Stash it and forget it for a quarter.
A backup that uses a different mechanism. If option 1 fails, option 2 still works.
For trips outside the home — light, durable, field-serviceable. The honest one.